Responsibly Recycled Electronics ‘Literally a Gold Mine,’ R2 Administrator Says

Old electronics, when “responsibly recycled,” are “literally a gold mine,” Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), the nonprofit that runs the R2 recycling program, said in a holiday e-waste message on Monday. “Recycled electronics contain 40 to 50 times more gold, silver and other precious metals than ore that is mined from the ground,” SERI said. “Recovering the precious metals contained in electronics is becoming increasingly important as the global demand for new electronic products deplete[s] the world’s limited supply of these natural resources.” Recycling old electronics responsibly also has social benefits, including “extending the life of electronic devices through reuse,” it said. "Used electronics that have been tested and refurbished are bridging the digital divide by making affordable electronics available to more people all around the world. In addition to reusing electronic devices, many electronic parts and components can be reused to manufacture completely new and different products.”